Benny Andrews

Benny Andrews (1930-2006) was born in Plainview, Georgia and became an acclaimed American artist known for his  distinctive style across various media, including  paintings, drawing, printmaking, and collage. His work was socially conscious and explored civil rights, social justice, and the African American experience. His paintings  employed a distinctive  figurative style that combined elements of realism and expressionism. His  figures were often distorted or elongated, with exaggerated features and emotions conveyed through bold brush strokes. He frequently incorporated found materials and textual elements into his paintings, such as burlap, fabric, and  paper, adding depth and  tactility to his compositions. Andrew’s drawing style was equally expressive and evocative. He used charcoal , crayon, and pencil  to create dynamic gestural drawings that captured the essence of his subjects. Andrews printmaking technique was characterized by a bold, graphic quality. He worked in various printmaking media, including etching, lithography, and silkscreen to create powerful, socially  engaged prints that addressed issues of race, class, and social justice. Collage was also a significant part of Andrews artistic practice, and he used this medium to create complex, multi-layered works that juxtaposed diverse materials and imagery. Throughout his career Benny Andrews  received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

In 1969, Andrews was a founding member of the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition ( BECC), a group of African American artists, curators, and activists who protested the lack of diversity and inclusion in major art institutions. The BECC organized  numerous protests and boycotts, including a high-profile demonstration at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which brough  national attention to the issues of systemic racism and inequity in the art world. Andrews’ legacy as an artist and activist has continued to inspire successive generations of African American artists and cultural workers who have continued the  fight for greater equity and representation in the art world. (HT)